‘Chilled’ Midwest fruit could cause
sour grapes among West’s growers
»y scon l-ook
Staff Reporter
Midwest grape producers may give
some California growers a reason to
whine if researchers and entrepre
neurs in Minnesota, Nebraska and
Missouri establish a feasible grape
growing industry in the region.
Peter Hemstad, a research scientist
for the University of Minnesota, said
that since 1984, he has been trying to
develop grapes that could gro w i n
the harsh Minnesota con
ditions.
\ \
We re trying to breed a cold, hardy
grape,” he said, “and there is defi
nitely hope.”
Hemstad said research in raising
grapes at the University of Minnesota
has been “on again, off again” since
1908. In 1984, he said, things began
to happen.
“A bill was passed for funding of
research into grapes,” he said. “We
now have 6,000 to 7,000 vines and
over 300 varieties of grapes.”
Jim Danielson, a private grape
grower in Nebraska, has a plot in
Plattsmoulh that also is doing well.
“I sell to private individuals who
make their own wine, and some gro
cery stores too,” he said.
Danielson said he
developed an inter
:--3cs in
hen he
in the
elail
wine
business. He said it keeps him occu
pied.
“I’m pretty busy during the sum
mer and on weekends,” he said, re
ferring to the upkeep of his vineyard.
Hemstad said he wants to know
what people think of the grapes, and
makes an effort to find out.
“We sell some of the surplus grapes
and that helps get reaction to the qual
ity,” he said. “We also have taste
panels to sec if people like the grapes.
It looks very promising.”
Missouri also is successfully grow
ing grapes.
David Peterson, assistant research
professor of viticulture at the Mis
souri State Fruit Experiment Station,
said some of their research into grapes
and wines has also been very promis
ing.
Peterson said his research involves
testing the viability of grape produc
tion in Missouri.
“We produced a port wine that one
w ine writer called the finest in the
United States,” he said.
Peterson said the status of
the wine industry in Missouri
already is prominent.
“There are 30 win
eries in Missouri al
ready,” he said,
“and 1,500
acres of vine
yards.”
* *•
Two NU Air Force officers
honored with national awards
By Jennifer O’Ciika
Staff Reporter
Two University of Nebraska
Lincoln Air Force ROTC officers
have received two prestigious na
tional awards for the first time in
the history of the UNL detach
ment, according to Col. Michael
Carr, UNL ROTC commander.
Capt. Wright Wheeler was cho
sen Instructor of the Year out of
about 600 eligible candidates and
Sgt. Robert Cook was chosen Per
sonnel Superintendent of the Year,
out of 150 candidates. They were
notified of their honors March 2.
Their awards, certificates
signed by Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Ellis,
commandant of the National
ROTC, were presented to them
before the UNL cadets.
Wheeler said his award makes
him the Air Force ROTC’s repre
sentative for the Air Training In
structor of the Year award. This
should be awarded in about two
months, Carr said.
Carr said that when the UNL
Air Force ROTC program closed
in Jan. 1988, Wheeler was the only
officer left in charge. He managed
the program when it reopened in
May. Also, Wheeler served as in
terim commander, a detachment
recruitment officer and the Arnold
Air Society adviser.
“A lot of it was luck because
most of the other people left, and I
was forced to do numerous tasks
which made my nomination
stronger,” Wheeler said.
Wheeler, who has been in the
Air Force for 14 years, said that for
him, this is the most prestigious
Air Force honor.
“Hopefully, since I’ve enjoyed
my assignment here and might like
to teach later on, this will help my
chances,” he said.
Cook, who has been at UNL for
4 years, was the only non-commis
sioned officer in charge of admin- i
istrative paperwork, performed
staff assistant visits to the Univer
sity of Nebraska at Omaha, insti
tuted a computer system, and made j
it possible for cadets to take physi
cals locally.
“It was a surprise, but I’m
happy about it,” he said.
Cook said that all hough he has
received several awards in the
past, this is the biggest.
Carr said this is the first time
these awards have been given to
the UNL detachment. He said this
“speaks highly” of the program
because it is being recognized on a
national level.
Carr said he sent his nomina
tions to the Midwest area comman
dant, who determines which nomi
nations are forwarded to ROTC
headquarters. The ROTC selects
the winners from candidates out of
five areas.
“These officers are dedicated,
hardworking and put in a lot of
extra hours,” he said.
Regents will be asked
to approve 2 programs
By Larry Peirce
Senior Reporter
The NU Board of Regents will be
asked at its Saturday meeting to ap
prove a master of legal studies pro
gram and a home economics doctor
ate program.
Harvey Perlman, dean of the Col
lege of Law, said only Yale, Stanford
and the University of Southern Cali
fornia have the masters of legal stud
ies degree program being proposed.
Perlman said a “large number” of
students have shown interest in the
proposed one-year program.
The master of legal studies degree
would help graduates in other ca
reers, he said. The program would not
require additional money from the
regents, he said.
For example, he said, someone in
community planning could use a
background in zoning regulations,
constitutional law, contract and tax
laws. The degree would not enable
graduates to practice law, he said.
Karen Craig, dean of the College
of Home Economics, said graduates
have been leaving the slate to earn
doctorate degrees in home econom
ics.
Graduates with masters degrees
could work toward doctorates in 12
See REGENTS on 6
-1
Testimony concerns euthanasia
WILLS From Page 1
cation that 'hey do not wish to have
their lives extended through artifi
cial means, Landis said, these
wishes should be granted.
Jim Cunningham, executive
director of the Nebraska Catholic
Conference who spoke in opposi
tion to the bill, said if LB479 is
passed, it would be the first step on
a path toward legalized mercy kill
ing.
Because living wills arc a pas
sive form of euthanasia, Cunning
ham said, more active forms of
euthanasia are likely to follow.
Erwin Goldenstein, a member
of the Nebraska Civil Liberties
Union, spoke in favor of the bill.
She said the bill could not promote
euthanasia because it contains a
provision stating that it does not
condone euthanasia.
Alan Fotker, member of the
Nebraska Medical Association
who spoke in favor of the bill, said
living wills are not a form of mercy
killing.
“Physicians do not plan to kill
patients,” he said, but physicians
do want to respect patients’ rights.
Cunningham said the Catholic
Conference agrees with many of
the values behind terminally ill
patients writing living wills, but
legislation on the issue is not nec
essary.
No law presently requires the
sustainment of iife beyond what
physicians deem necessary, Cun
ningham said.
Also, he said, living wills al
ready are honored in many in
stances.
But, Forkcr said, some physi
cians in Nebraska may be afraid to
honor living wills.
Physicians don’t want to run the
risk of having lawsuits brought
against them by relatives if treat
ment is denied to patients who
have living wills, he said.
Currently, if family members
are strongly against upholding the
wishes ot living wills, Forker said,
physicians may ignore the wills.
If LB479 is passed, he said, the
decision to honor living wills
would be made easier tor physi
cians.
Cunningham said LB479
would not make decisions easier
for physicians because it leaves no
room for individual considera
tions.
An important aspect of whether
or not living wills should be hon
ored is the consideration of indi
vidual circumstances surrounding
each case, he said.
If the bill is passed, Cunning
ham said, physicians may be led to
treat terminally ill patients without
living wills differently from those
who do have them.
The committee look no action
on the bill, but will meet again
today.